Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-07-15
ACANvAs CITY.
sells Brothers Great show in Rock
Island---A Grand success with
Which Everybody is Delighted
some OF the Leading Attractions.

lslanu---A GfanQ success Win
Which Everybody Is Delighted
some OF the Leading Attractions.
The first big tent show of the season
that of the famous Sells Bros. pitched
its great tents out on the Davenport land
near the Rock & Milan street railroad to-
day, and an immense concourse of peo-
pie went out to see the aggregation of
wonders contained in the canvas city
this afternoon. The farmer has left his
pillow and brought his family to town 10
see the Justly celebrated combination,
while the merchant has deserted the
heated city and gone out 10 witness the
novel entertain ment.
The frat thing on the programme was
the street parade. which occurred about
1890. 1t was of considerable length
and was composed in part of gslly
eapansoned horses, monster cages, open
dens of animals, elephants, camels,
etc. There were two full bands, together
with monster caliope, continental
band. and the Scotch bagpipers. The
parade was viewed by thousands of peo-
pie along the route.
The afternoon exhibition and perform
ance WIS happy surprise to all who at
tended The mensgerie attracts the at
tentinn as you enter the tent and is well
worth inspection. You pause moment
By this and that magnificent specimen of
the animal kingdom and then turn your
eye only to meet something more mar
velous and Interesting. Of al. the ami
mills in the menagerie, none attracted
more attention than the superb spotted
beauty representing the giraffe family.
Its slender limbs, symmetrical body,
graceful neck and beautiful natural dec,
ocrations made 1t the center of general
attraction. Done with the menagerie,
enter the circus proper. The programme
| opens with the grandest entree seen in a
tent. This is followed by exciting races,
wonderful vaulting and tumbling, start
ling trapeze and rrial feats, daring rid
ing the novelties and excitement of the
wild West affixed. and other perform
ances too frequent to enumerate. All Of
the actors employed are stars in their diff
ferent work and have never been ex'
Celled by any combination that has dis
played its athletic wonders here.
Apart from these great attractions
there is one that should not pass uuno,
ticed. 1t is one of the best features OF
| the entertainment and must not be slight
ed. This feature is the character sketch
work of one of the clowns. The regular
clown is an artist, but he is not to b.
compared to the character sketch ARTIST,
feature as novel as it is amusing, anC
which is only seen at Sells circus Thu
spectators gradually have their attention
called to queer looking specimen OF tn
rural districts who has come to the SHOW
to see all that can be seen. His pants ar
a. cuts with his shoe tops, and old rust,
pillow shoes at that. A wig sends its hair
tendrils in genuine bangs over his eyes
| npI q banIieIacc S1l- 81
his arm. He is an iuveterate smoker an,
carries bis cigar wrong end foremost. II
is genuine rustic and doesn't care VIII
knows it. In his tour of earnest, ope
mouthed, silent inspection he finds n
difficulty in getting in everybOdy's way
He knocks down seats and leaves ther
lying in disdained confusion; he attempt
to stop the races under the hallucinatio
that the horses are running away, and i
almost run over; he sttempts to steal th
Indians head fathers and receives shoe
that he doesn't soon fOrget.and has mani
other comiGal adventures that serve /
keep the audience in a roar. His stoicisu
and unconcern, enhanced BY his a5ilit
to find trouble, are natural to life an
make study for the amused spectators
He is the greatest and only, and to
much cannot be said of his ludicrou
work. Sells circus is the finest On tn
road, and is an honest representation 0
the ring and menagerie business. Every
thing advertised tinds its way before th
public eye ere the performance CLOSES.
Tonight The performance will be II
. -ated. It Il worth going to see, an
therc will doubles, he great crow
present.